This is a mug shaped like a lion-dog or Japanese Komainu. These lion-dogs are often seen in pairs as statues either guarding the entrance or the inner shrine of many Japanese Shinto shrines or kept inside the inner shrine itself, where they are not visible to the public. They can sometimes be found at Buddhist temples, nobility residences or even private homes. The Komainu is also one of the pieces of a shōgi (Japanese chess) board.